Open Data for Connecticut: Opportunities and Challenges
March 3, 3014 - Biographies
Governor Dannel P. Malloy: Elected in 2010, Governor Malloy’s focus has been on reinvigorating our economy by
growing jobs, improving public education at every level and stabilizing the state’s finances. Governor Malloy has
pursued a comprehensive economic development strategy, one that invests in growth industries and creates jobs
while at the same time defends the core sectors of our economy and protects the jobs we already have. Prior to
becoming Governor, Malloy served as Stamford’s longest serving Mayor, from 1995 to 2009 and as a successful
Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York for four years.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill: Elected in 2010, Secretary Merrill serves as Connecticut’s chief elections
official and business registrar. Dedicated to modernizing Connecticut’s election process, making voting easier and
improving information for businesses that incorporate in the state, Secretary Merrill is focused on fostering civic
engagement and business enterprise. She advocates for civic participation, accountability and transparency, and
those values have guided her career in public service for over 25 years.
Senator Beth Bye: Senator Beth Bye was elected to represent the citizens of Connecticut’s 5th Senate District in
November, 2010 and currently serves as Senate Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Vice Chair of the Higher
Education and Employment Advancement Committee, and Vice Chair of the Education Committee. Senator Bye is
recognized as one of the state’s leading authorities on early childhood education, with a strong interest in program
and facility development.
Mayor Toni Harp: An abiding commitment to social justice has motivated Toni Harp’s career in public service,
from being the “conscience of the Senate” as Senator for the 10th Senate District for over 20 years to her current
position as Mayor of New Haven since November, 2013. While in the State Senate, Mayor Harp co-chaired the
state’s Achievement Gap Task Force and Mental Health Services Working Group. She played a pivotal role in the
passage of Connecticut’s Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety legislation.
Representative Toni Walker: As a Connecticut State Representative, Rep. Walker serves as House Chair of the
Appropriations Committee and participates on several other legislative Committees, including Higher Education
and Judiciary. She is the former House Chair of the Human Services Committee and is dedicated to the work of the
CT Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. She has committed to juvenile justice reform and worked to raise the age of
juvenile jurisdiction. When not at the Capitol, Rep. Walker serves as Vice Principal and Coordinator of Special
Services and Grants at New Haven Adult Education.
Benjamin Barnes: Effective January 5, 2011, Mr. Barnes was appointed by Governor Malloy to serve as Secretary
of the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM), the Governor’s staff agency. Before joining
OPM, Mr. Barnes served as Operating Officer for the Bridgeport Public Schools, overseeing the system’s facilities,
transportation, technology and $215 million budget. Previously, he was Stamford’s Director of Operations and
managed a department of 250 employees, an annual operating budget of $43 million and a capital budget of $40
million.
Joel Gurin: The founder of OpenDataNow.com and author of Open Data Now (McGraw-Hill), Mr. Gurin serves as
Senior Adviser at NYU’s GovLab, which studies and promotes open data and open government. He consults on
consumer information and open data for a number of organizations. Prior to his current positions, he served as
Editor of American Health magazine and as Executive Vice President of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher
of Consumer Reports.
Tyler Kleykamp: Tyler Kleykamp is the State’s Chief Data Officer within the Office of Policy and Management and
is responsible for oversight and implementation of Executive Order 39 issued by Governor Dannel P. Malloy. Tyler
has previously served as Chair of the Connecticut Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) Council as well as the State
GIS Coordinator. Prior to joining OPM, Tyler worked for the State Department of Public Health where he served as
the agency’s Geographic Information coordinator.
Kevin Lembo: Serving as State Comptroller since 2010, Comptroller Lembo serves as the state’s chief fiscal
guardian, monitoring and reporting on the state’s financial status, coordinating healthcare and payroll for
hundreds of thousands of public employees and retirees, and administering the statewide electronic accounting
system. The Comptroller has been a longtime advocate of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and
has been hailed as a “champion of financial transparency.”
Brett Orzechowski: Mr. Orzechowski was appointed CEO/Publisher of The Connecticut Mirror in August 2013. He
previously taught journalism at Quinnipiac University, focusing on reporting stories using nonlinear, interactive
digital media, and public affairs with a focus on data and analytics. Brett was also co-creator of the Media
Innovation Collaborative (MIC) at Quinnipiac, an initiative designed to equip students with multimedia and
entrepreneurial skills. During its formative stages, the MIC incubator fostered 26 media-based businesses, of which
six successfully secured external start-up capital. Brett has also served as a digital editor and producer at the New
Haven Register.
Maggie Gunther Osborn: Since 2013, Maggie has served as President of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy.
Prior to joining the Council, she served as President and CEO of MGO Partners, Inc., a Florida-based training and
capacity building consulting firm focused on the philanthropic sector. With over 20 years of local and national
experience, Ms. Osborn’s operational and leadership experience has benefited numerous community institutions,
foundations and grassroots organizations.
Dr. Lyle Wray: Since 2004, Dr. Wray has served as Executive Director of the Capitol Region Council of
Governments, heading the regional planning organization for Hartford and the surrounding 29 towns in
transportation, community development, public safety and homeland security. For over 25 years, Dr. Wray’s work
has emphasized measuring and improving public services and engaging citizens. He teaches graduate courses in
service outcomes, e-government and public service reform and has been a consultant to governments and
nonprofits in the U.S. and abroad.
Robert Santy:
Mr. Santy is president and CEO of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC), a nonprofit corporation
and public-private partnership that provides services consistent with state strategies, leveraging Connecticut’s
unique advantages as a premier business location. He has had a 30-year career in the public policy and economic
development field, prior to CERC serving as president of the Regional Growth Partnership in New Haven and as the
vice president of the Connecticut Capital Region Growth Council. He also served as the deputy commissioner of the
Connecticut Department of Economic Development (now DECD) in the early 90's.
Michelle Riordan-Nold: Ms. Riordan-Nold became the Executive Director of the CT Data Collaborative in February
2014. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Boston College and a master's degree in public policy
from the University of Chicago. Her past positions include senior research analyst with the Connecticut Economic
Resource Center, Inc., an associate researcher for the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee of
the Connecticut General Assembly, a healthcare analyst for the Connecticut Hospital Association, and an internal
consultant for JPMorgan Chase. She also is a member of the Hartford Area Business Economists.